APN's daily news review from Israel
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Quote of the day:
"Today these words sound standard. But at the time, they were shocking."
--Public opinion analyst Dahlia Scheindlin examines the development of opposition to Israel's occupation and noted that "what the Left says has often sounded radical, shocking, or frightening at first — but some of its core concepts go mainstream over the years," such as in a letter signed in 1978 by several hundred IDF officers protesting government policy for “perpetuating its rule over a million Arabs,” which they argued “could harm the Jewish-democratic character of the state" - and which became a touchstone moment in the formation of Peace Now.*
You Must Be Kidding:
"The renewal of settlement in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley.”
--That's the slogan for the special Knesset event marking the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War. And the Yesha Council of settlers is helping arrange Knesset committee meetings for the day and has received the authority to approve the guest list at the main ceremony. And there will be no mention of the Palestinians.**
--Public opinion analyst Dahlia Scheindlin examines the development of opposition to Israel's occupation and noted that "what the Left says has often sounded radical, shocking, or frightening at first — but some of its core concepts go mainstream over the years," such as in a letter signed in 1978 by several hundred IDF officers protesting government policy for “perpetuating its rule over a million Arabs,” which they argued “could harm the Jewish-democratic character of the state" - and which became a touchstone moment in the formation of Peace Now.*
You Must Be Kidding:
"The renewal of settlement in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley.”
--That's the slogan for the special Knesset event marking the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War. And the Yesha Council of settlers is helping arrange Knesset committee meetings for the day and has received the authority to approve the guest list at the main ceremony. And there will be no mention of the Palestinians.**
Front Page:
Haaretz
- Israel pledges: Homosexuals and lesbians won’t be allowed to adopt children from Russia
- Banks oppose debt plan that would bailout (Israeli tycoon) Fishman
- Coalition led by Saudi Arabia put Qatar under siege for its close relations with Iran
- The US dilemma // Zvi Bar’el
- Without mentioning the Palestinians: Knesset to mark 50 years since the occupation of the Territories under the authority of the Yesha Settlers’ Council
- In the quarter where the terrorist from London lives they already identified Theresa May’s failure // Anshel Pfeffer
- Government cabinet secretary asked members of the Committee for Appointing Justices to promote his wife
- After delaying for a year the case against (actor Moshe) Ivgy (on suspicion of sex crimes), the State Prosecutor thinks the suspicion is minor
- Time for solidarity // Haaretz Editorial
- Paris first // Nitzan Horowitz
- Micha Bar-Am’s photographs from ’67 keep the harsh questions out of prime
Yedioth Ahronoth
- “We are raising a generation of obese (children)” – Health Ministry warns
- The siege on QatarSuspicion: Soldier murdered by his older brother
- Special for Blindness Day - Today’s newspaper can be heard and not just read
- Gulf war – Earthquake in the Arab world: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE announced ending relations with Qatar because of “terror financing”
- The double game (of Qatar) // Yossi Melman
- Grief and alertness in London
- Murdered his brother, escaped and was caught
- “The debt arrangement with Fishman does not assure an appropriate effort to return the debt”
- Book week: 30% don’t read books
- Gulf war - Earthquake in the Arab world; 7 states ended relations with Qatar
- Banks oppose debt settlement arrangement with Fishman
- A father’s scream (after elder son murdered younger son)
- Trump effect: Abu Mazen stopped paying salaries to those freed in Shalit prisoner-release deal
- Nightmare scenario: Some 3000 killed and masses evacuated; Next week - exercise simulates earthquake in the country
Seven Arab countries put Qatar under air, land, sea and economic siege, Israeli banks balked at the debt settlement deal given to an Israeli tycoon and a mentally unstable man murdered his younger soldier brother making top stories in today’s Hebrew newspapers.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen, Libya and the Maldives cut ties with Qatar, isolating the tiny gas-rich Persian Gulf country by severing its land, sea and air routes to the outside world over its alleged support to Islamist groups in Syria and for its ties to Iran, an act which could greatly damage Qatar's economy, image and stability. The Arab League said it 'regretted' the rift between Qatar and the Arab states and urged dialogue. The Qatar crisis also has an Israeli connection, explained Haaretz+’s Zvi Bar'el, who wrote that “Monday's bombshell came amid reports saying Qatar's ruler, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, objected to Washington's and the Gulf states' hostility toward Iran, which he considered ‘a great state that contributes to regional stability.’ Qatar denied that the emir made that statement and claims that hackers broke into the Qatari news agency's website and planted those quotes.” The Saudi news agency said, “(Qatar) embraces multiple terrorist and sectarian groups aimed at disturbing stability in the region, including the Muslim Brotherhood, ISIS and al-Qaeda, and promotes the message and schemes of these groups through their media constantly," SPA said. Qatar said the whole thing was a conspiracy between the UAE and a right-wing pro-Israel lobby and some leaked emails showed an exchange between the UAE ambassador in Washington and the right-wing pro-Israel neo-con Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a research institute founded by right-wing Jewish business leaders, including Sheldon Adelson and Edgar Bronfman. The emails showed that the UAE and the think tank exchanged ideas on handling Qatar due to its support of Hamas and Iran. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the rift was an opportunity for cooperation between Israel and moderate Arab states in the fight against terrorism.
Quick Hits:
- Eisenkot labels Syria IDF's 'biggest challenge' since Six Day War - IDF chief points to the presence of armed terror groups and Syria's lack of governance as challenges the IDF 'is dealing with today and will continue to deal with in the foreseeable future.' (Ynet)
- Five cars vandalized in east Jerusalem price tag attack - Arab resident of the French Hill neighborhood posts photos to Facebook of slashed tires and graffiti saying 'Death to Arabs,' but say he won't file complaint as he doesn't trust police. (Ynet)
- Murder rate in Israel climbs 20% from last year - Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich's and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan are “failing to fight crime in the Arab community, an Arab legislator says. (Haaretz+)
- Survey concludes: Jews and Arabs in Israel are more optimistic and patriotic than ever - A poll conducted by the Center for National Security Studies at the University of Haifa shows that both Jewish and Arab women are more militant than men. And: in the Arab sector, fewer trust political institutions. On an optimism scale of 1-6 with 6 being highest, Jews there is an increase from 4.56 in 2010 to a record 4.86 this year. Israeli Arabs also have a similar trend of rising from 3.15 in 2010 to 3.66 this year. (Maariv)
- Police arrest (Jewish) suspect for incitement against IDF Manpower head - 40-year-old Jerusalem resident Moshe Iram is suspected of distributing flyers inciting to violence outside Maj. Gen. Moti Almoz's home; Flyers read: 'Your end will be bitter like that of Hitler and his friends.' (Yedioth/Ynet)
- **Israel’s parliament to mark Six-Day War by praising the settlements - Opposition legislators are furious over the Yesha Council of settlers’ big role in planning the day. (Haaretz+)
- B'Tselem to participate in UN event marking 50 years of 'occupation' - Committee on the Rights of the Palestinians to hold 'UN Forum to Mark Fifty Years of Occupation' in late June, with the left-wing NGO expected to attend; 'It is shameful that an Israeli organization is helping the Palestinians harm Israel on the UN stage,' UN envoy Danon says of B'Tselem. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Palestinian PM to Kahlon: 'You prevented a third intifada' - Palestinian PM Hamdallah tells Finance Min. Kahlon that Israel's decision not to punish Palestinian population during last year's wave of terrorism prevented another intifada; sources say Palestinian Pres. Abbas's meeting with US Pres. Trump was 'one of the best he had with any US president.' (Ynet and Israel Hayom)
- Israeli Culture Minister Backs Festival Ban of Play About Palestinians - 'They're forcing me to fund plays that provide a platform for terrorists with blood on their hands,' Miri Regev says. (Haaretz+)
- Northern Command drills possible Hezbollah attack on Lebanon border - IDF calls up thousands of soldiers from conscript divisions in surprise exercise to test readiness for a large-scale attack; 'The more we're seen training and preparing, the more the threat decreases,' says senior officer. (Ynet)
- State Attorney on Netanyahu's investigation: 'I wish we could wrap things up faster' - At Lawyers on the Bar' event in the Mahane Yehuda market, State Attorney Shai Nitzan says Netanyahu's cases are 'not simple' and estimates investigations to continue for a long time. (Ynet and Israel Hayom)
- Israeli Supreme Court president orders probe of judge for comments about women lying - Deputy President of the Nazareth Family Court, Judge Assaf Zagury, claimed (and repeated his words several times) that '99 percent of the women who took a polygraph test in Family Courts were found to be lying.’ (Haaretz+)
- Hebron shooter's appeal to go to court after mediation fails - Prosecution, defense fail to reach compromise in court-ordered mediation on appeal of Sgt. Elor Azaria, convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months' jail for killing an immobilized terrorist. Military prosecutor: This is a case about IDF values. (Israel Hayom)
- Two senior Hamas officials forced to leave Qatar - Hamas has begun cooperating with Qatar after the Gulf State issued the organization a list of members it wanted out of the country posthaste; those who left are tied to the West Bank section of the terror group. (Ynet)
- 'US pressure behind PA's decision to suspend terrorists' stipends' - Hamas leader in Gaza Yihya Sinwar is among the officials whose payments have been suspended • 47 Hamas lawmakers also lose payments • PA official says move part of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' punitive measure against Hamas. (Israel Hayom)
- Hamas lawmakers say they received salaries after fearing cutoff - Lawmakers from the Hamas terrorist turned political party in the West Bank say they received their monthly salaries after initially fearing the payments had been halted by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Agencies, Ynet)
- Crusader-era escape tunnel discovered near Sea of Galilee - Antiquities Authority uncovers tunnel in Tiberias through which it is believed Crusader knight Raymond of Tripoli urged his wife to flee during July 1187 siege by Muslim ruler Salah a-Din. Tiberias mayor plans to feature tunnel in town development plan. (Israel Hayom)
- Dead Sea Likely to Recede Back to Lowest Point Ever, Israeli Researchers Warn - With rainfall modest, the sea dropped 16 centimeters last month, compared with an average of between 10 and 12 centimeters, the hydrological service says. (Haaretz+)
- Georgia nominee in Israel may be blocked due to police record - Georgian gov. nominates billionaire Mikhael Mirilashvili honorary title of consul to Israel, but due to recent police investigations, he may not have the necessary non criminal record. (Yedioth/Ynet)
- Secret of epilepsy discovered in Jerusalem - Unable to figure out what causes the neurological disorder, the scientists thought to ask: What causes normal people (or lab animals) not to have it? (Haaretz+)
- Jordan is debating whether to screen Wonder Woman - Lebanon has already boycotted the film starring Gal Gadot, and now Jordan has to make a decision; the film was transferred to the Communications Commission, which has yet to decide whether to approve the screening; campaigns against Israel exert pressure. (Ynet)
- How the Top Republican in Israel Defends Trump's Broken Promises to Evangelicals - Christian Evangelicals in Jerusalem just got the inside scoop about Trump's last-minute decision not to move the American embassy to Jerusalem. (Haaretz+)
- U.S. Senate Approves Resolution Celebrating '50th Anniversary of the Reunification of Jerusalem' - Resolution, introduced by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConell, is a sign of strong bipartisan support for Israel's position on disputed East Jerusalem. (Haaretz)
IDF general talks about Israel's scrapped plan to use nuclear weapon in 1967
New details emerge about a last-resort contingency plan prepared by Brig. Gen. Yitzhak Yaakov to detonate a nuclear device in the middle of the Sinai desert as a warning to Egyptian President Nasser; 'The goal was to plant a nuclear device on a hilltop in the Abu-Ageila area, and to blow it up when the prime minister gives the order to do so,' Yaakov says in series of interviews that were banned for publication by Israeli Military Censorship, but excerpts of which have been made public by a US think tank. (Ronen Bergman, Yedioth/Ynet)
Tears at the Western Wall, tanks in the Old City: New images of Jerusalem liberation
Fifty years after the Six-Day War, the IDF Archive releases pictures taken during and after the battles, as well as segments from the Central Command chief’s journal and aerial shots of the battle zones before the war. (Yaron Druckman, Yedioth/Ynet)
Commentary/Analysis:
New details emerge about a last-resort contingency plan prepared by Brig. Gen. Yitzhak Yaakov to detonate a nuclear device in the middle of the Sinai desert as a warning to Egyptian President Nasser; 'The goal was to plant a nuclear device on a hilltop in the Abu-Ageila area, and to blow it up when the prime minister gives the order to do so,' Yaakov says in series of interviews that were banned for publication by Israeli Military Censorship, but excerpts of which have been made public by a US think tank. (Ronen Bergman, Yedioth/Ynet)
Tears at the Western Wall, tanks in the Old City: New images of Jerusalem liberation
Fifty years after the Six-Day War, the IDF Archive releases pictures taken during and after the battles, as well as segments from the Central Command chief’s journal and aerial shots of the battle zones before the war. (Yaron Druckman, Yedioth/Ynet)
Commentary/Analysis:
Gazans Will Suffer More as a Result of Hamas and Qatar Crises (Jack Khoury, Haaretz+) The atmosphere is being compared to that on the eve of the
2014 Gaza war. Israel must decide whether and to what extent it will intervene.
*Fifty years of opposition (Dahlia Scheindlin, +972mag) Each decade of the occupation has brought changing fortunes to prospects for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and varying levels of opposition to Israel’s military rule. After half a century, could there finally be a proposal that stands a chance?
An earthquake in the Persian Gulf (Smadar Perry, Yedioth/Ynet) Arab countries’ decision to break off relations with Qatar did not come out of the blue. The new conflict began shortly after US President Trump left Saudi Arabia, when someone provided the Saudi, Egyptian, UAE and Bahraini leaders with incriminating information about funds transferred to Islamic terror organizations.
Paris, Not Pittsburgh (Nitzan Horowitz, Haaretz+) With the United States and Britain stepping aside, the path is open for Europe to position itself, albeit cautiously and hesitantly, as the leader of the free world.
Our war of defense (Zalman Shoval, Israel Hayom) Whether the land gained in the Six-Day War is seen as "occupied" or "liberated," Israel was the victim, and later its offers to give up land in return for peace were rebuffed.
I'm a British Jew, and I Don't Fear a Corbyn Victory. I'd Welcome It (Jonathan Rosenhead, Haaretz+) The caricature of Jeremy Corbyn as a tool of Trotskyites, a lover of dictators and a shill of anti-Semites is unhinged and wrong.
Five reasons why Israel should care about the Qatar crisis (Seth J. Frantzman, JPost/Maariv) Israel's image in the region likely can improve amid the current developments.
Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Sunnis were fed up with Qatar's double game (Yossi Melman, Maariv) The decision of the Arab countries shows that they have had enough. And how does this affect us? On the one hand, the move strengthens our rapprochement with the Sunni axis, but on the other hand, it may create tension with Hamas.
Time for Solidarity (Haaretz Editorial) Only by combining the power of artists and citizens, organized protest and solidarity will it be possible to stop the Israeli government's processes of silencing and intimidation.
War on terror vs. justification of terror (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) There are no simple solutions for the cancer of terror, but as long as it has the support of politicians like Jeremy Corbyn, the chance of defeating it is almost nonexistent.
It’s Not Just About 'Hebron Shooter' Elor Azaria (Sari Bashi, Haaretz+) Responsibility for upholding ethical and legal norms doesn’t rest solely on the shoulders of a single 20-year-old soldier, but also on the senior officials who sent him
The generation of the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War are different from those who came afterwards (Oded Tira, Maariv) The commanders of the war understood that carrying out the missions exacted a heavy price, which was reflected in the number of casualties. However, they rode like horses galloping into battle. This is the only way to win. It's a pity that not all the commanders of the present know this.
The Truth Behind Israel's Desperate Plan to Set Off a Nuclear Device to Save Itself in 1967 (Avner Cohen, Haaretz+) Could Israel really have detonated a nuclear device on the eve of the Six Day War? The lead researcher for this explosive contention describes exposing what's still Israel’s biggest taboo: its nuclear capabilities.
No shortcuts when fighting terror (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom) British history has proved that the U.K. has a wealth of experience and advanced capabilities when it comes to fighting terrorism. It is time for the British to step it up.
How Pre-1967 Fantasists Are Like Trump Voters (David Rosenberg, Haaretz+) Despite what 1967 critics claim, the 1967 War and occupation haven’t made the country worse: Israel is more inclusive, more egalitarian and more democratic than ever before.
*Fifty years of opposition (Dahlia Scheindlin, +972mag) Each decade of the occupation has brought changing fortunes to prospects for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and varying levels of opposition to Israel’s military rule. After half a century, could there finally be a proposal that stands a chance?
An earthquake in the Persian Gulf (Smadar Perry, Yedioth/Ynet) Arab countries’ decision to break off relations with Qatar did not come out of the blue. The new conflict began shortly after US President Trump left Saudi Arabia, when someone provided the Saudi, Egyptian, UAE and Bahraini leaders with incriminating information about funds transferred to Islamic terror organizations.
Paris, Not Pittsburgh (Nitzan Horowitz, Haaretz+) With the United States and Britain stepping aside, the path is open for Europe to position itself, albeit cautiously and hesitantly, as the leader of the free world.
Our war of defense (Zalman Shoval, Israel Hayom) Whether the land gained in the Six-Day War is seen as "occupied" or "liberated," Israel was the victim, and later its offers to give up land in return for peace were rebuffed.
I'm a British Jew, and I Don't Fear a Corbyn Victory. I'd Welcome It (Jonathan Rosenhead, Haaretz+) The caricature of Jeremy Corbyn as a tool of Trotskyites, a lover of dictators and a shill of anti-Semites is unhinged and wrong.
Five reasons why Israel should care about the Qatar crisis (Seth J. Frantzman, JPost/Maariv) Israel's image in the region likely can improve amid the current developments.
Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Sunnis were fed up with Qatar's double game (Yossi Melman, Maariv) The decision of the Arab countries shows that they have had enough. And how does this affect us? On the one hand, the move strengthens our rapprochement with the Sunni axis, but on the other hand, it may create tension with Hamas.
Time for Solidarity (Haaretz Editorial) Only by combining the power of artists and citizens, organized protest and solidarity will it be possible to stop the Israeli government's processes of silencing and intimidation.
War on terror vs. justification of terror (Ben-Dror Yemini, Yedioth/Ynet) There are no simple solutions for the cancer of terror, but as long as it has the support of politicians like Jeremy Corbyn, the chance of defeating it is almost nonexistent.
It’s Not Just About 'Hebron Shooter' Elor Azaria (Sari Bashi, Haaretz+) Responsibility for upholding ethical and legal norms doesn’t rest solely on the shoulders of a single 20-year-old soldier, but also on the senior officials who sent him
The generation of the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War are different from those who came afterwards (Oded Tira, Maariv) The commanders of the war understood that carrying out the missions exacted a heavy price, which was reflected in the number of casualties. However, they rode like horses galloping into battle. This is the only way to win. It's a pity that not all the commanders of the present know this.
The Truth Behind Israel's Desperate Plan to Set Off a Nuclear Device to Save Itself in 1967 (Avner Cohen, Haaretz+) Could Israel really have detonated a nuclear device on the eve of the Six Day War? The lead researcher for this explosive contention describes exposing what's still Israel’s biggest taboo: its nuclear capabilities.
No shortcuts when fighting terror (Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom) British history has proved that the U.K. has a wealth of experience and advanced capabilities when it comes to fighting terrorism. It is time for the British to step it up.
How Pre-1967 Fantasists Are Like Trump Voters (David Rosenberg, Haaretz+) Despite what 1967 critics claim, the 1967 War and occupation haven’t made the country worse: Israel is more inclusive, more egalitarian and more democratic than ever before.
Prepared for APN by Orly Halpern, independent freelance journalist based in Jerusalem.